**Who has experience with MACHINE SHOPS in CO. Springs?

[BLueBeast]

I am having an engine built & this is my first time dealing with a machine shop. It will be a learning experience.

A few people on here have used "Geddes." Angelo & Jake both went to SAM (School of Automotive Machinists)
Automotive Careers Placement | Racing Industry Employment

So I believe they are competent...I just want a quick return time, etc...and heard they take forever. The owner keeps trying to pressure me into buying from local vendors & is a lil' pushy, started using profanity over the phone, etc. When he took forever to get back to me....so I went ahead & ordered parts from "MAPerformance". But we talked it over. I was professional and didn't lose my cool. I just explained that he couldn't possibly know everything about every engine he works on & has the time to do research. So I didn't want to go with some of the part companys he wanted to go with.



They seem competent, but they take forever to get back to you, and get work done. There are other posts on Tuners & RMDSM where people have had the same problem.

It seems most machine shops around here in CO. Springs want you to use their vendors.(Their parts) So they can make money off them. Even if it's NOT what you want. They work on numerous engines & some don't do machine work on performance oriented engines.

I keep getting pressured by the owner to use his vendors, then he tries to tell me he wants to support "local vendors" which is all fine & dandy, but there is a thing called "Globalization" which means you can get parts from all over at better prices, hence the reason for import cars, etc. I am all for supporting local businesses, if they are good, but we all have budgets and are not sponsored, etc, so we can't afford to buy marked up parts.

Yes, Machine shops do prefer their own vendors, because they can return a part if it's not the right one, etc. Without having to go through you returning it, etc. Which is understandable, but if they want to make the customer happy & the customer is respectful, I don't see a prob.

I was going to just buy a shortblock or head from BUSCHUR, JNZ, DSMPARTS.com, MAPerformance, etc. But shipping was $300 each way so $600?? Plus they don't provide a box for you or anything. So $4,000 plus just for a "short block" with parts that are NOT even comparable components to what I am putting in mine.I could almost build a whole engine for that much. But the process of finding a competent machine shop is the hard part. If you get your own parts they don't warranty their work most of the time also.

So after you pay the machine shop, which will bleed you dry, your prob. in about the same boat. Any experiences with this?

(So here is a list of machine shops around the springs):

-Geddes (Has torque plate)

-Burt's

-Rocky Mountain Machine
(Does not have torque plate, so possible they could mess up machining our engines. These guys do Jack's Transmission's engines) That's scary. Hopefully they get one.

Anyone else around here?

I like being straight up with a shop now. I just purchased a bunch of expensive internals & want to make sure it's done right & I KNOW THE PRICE I'm going to pay or a "Quote" before I actually commit to using a businesses' services. I've had some hard lessons learned in the past. My friend told me if they give you a quote here in Colorado the FINAL price has to be withing 5% of the original QUOTE!

Hoping this can be a learning thread for many of us around here.

If you plan on taking an engine to a shop w/o a "torque plate" there are some local guys who rent theirs out to other DSMer's.

Any advice from people here local or international on Dealing with machine shops & which shops to go with either here in CO. Springs or Denver, Pueblo, etc. would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks.

Here is the list of parts going into the engine:

"Re: Vendor "Rock solid internals sale"
________________________________________
Okay so here is the list...as you can see I went ahead and priced everything out here for you. I have included the HD pistons which is the only reason why we are a little higher, but if you compare price to price, we beat anyone's pricing each and every which way you cut it. Also, at the bottom I added the head studs which, in my opinion, are the ONLY option for you. Also you needed a head gasket figured in there. As we talked about, tho...there are some things you don't need, some things you might not need in there, but this will give you a good idea for a solid build that will last for a long time. Let me know what you think! BTW, all prices include shipping!


K625M855: Wiseco 1400HD Pistons (DSM 6 bolt) .020 over: $494.95
MAP's own rods good to 1000+HP for ($649)
5M1144H + 4B1146H: ACL Race Series Main + Rod Bearings (DSM / Evo): 94.99
MD972052: Mitsubishi OEM Water Pump 6 bolt: 143.79
GAT T167RB1: Gates Racing Timing Belt / 4g63 (Timing Belt Only No Balance Shaft Belt Included): 109.95
MIT-MD129355: OEM Timing Belt Tensioner Pulley (1g): 31.50
MIT-MD156604: OEM Timing Belt Idler Pulley: 37.95
MIT-MD164533: OEM Timing Belt Tensioner Adjuster 6 bolt: 94.95
MIT-MD040597: Rear Balance Shaft Bearing: 15.95
MIT-MD103722: Front Balance Shaft Bearing: 15.95
MIT-MD092785: Balance Shaft Cap: 12.95
MIT-MD098626: Balance Shaft Stub: 12.95
MIT-MD125361: OEM Oil Pump Driven Gear : Mitsubishi Eclipse 6 Bolt: 31.50
MIT-MD365697: OEM Oil Pump Shaft Seal : Mitsubishi Eclipse 90-99: 9.50
1-TX280: Kelford RaceCams Camshafts (DSM) 280/276: $514.95
KRspringset: Kiggly Racing Beehive Valve Spring Set (EVO/DSM): 369.95
F6025: Ferrea 6000 Series Competition Valves (DSM / Evo) standard intake: 122.00
F6026: Ferrea 6000 Series Competition Valves (DSM / Evo) standard exhaust: 122.00
K10035: Ferrea Valve Locks (DSM / Evo): $99.00
VG1050: Ferrea Bronze / Manganese Intake Valve Guides (DSM / Evo): 34.99
VG1048: Ferrea Copper Alloy Exhaust Valve Guides (DSM / Evo): 54.99
VS1010: Ferrea Complete Valve Seal Kit (DSM / Evo) intake: 14.00
VS1011: Ferrea Complete Valve Seal Kit (DSM / Evo) exhaust: 14.00
C4423: Cometic Complete Engine Gasket Set (DSM) 6 bolt: 109.95
207-5401: ARP main studs 6 bolt: 54.95
MAP DSM-UDHS: MAP Ultimate Duty H11 Tool Steel Head Studs (6 Bolt DSM): 197.95
1153-1: Fel-Pro PermaTorqueMLS Head Gasket #1153-1 (DSM): 191.95
Kiggly Main Brace: $114




Grand Total: $3,770.56"


I know, frickkin EXXTREEEME!! I guess I just went all out, dumb idear, but just wanna do it right the firs time around. I know some parts are missing because I picked some of them up off local DSMer's (All new parts)

So, if your a thief or some low life & likes taking people's hard earned stuff & reading over this list, just know I am an Ex-Army Engineer & it's wired for explosives, plus I have a nice collection of homeland defense devices. Plus I have a few friends who are cops, Be forwarned! scumbags.


Anyways, just giving ya a list of stuff going into it & wondering what exactly I should have the machine shop do.

Here is a list of things MA Performance does to their blocks:

•Hot Tank/Boil Block
•Polished Crank
•Balanced Rotating Assembly
•Overbore with Torque Plate
•Fully Decked Block Surface


So I called "Rocky Mountain Machine" here are some of the things they do & prices.

(On the head):

-$175 Install valve guides (Beed blasting, hone guides, etc) *make sure valves are CUT* not ground, I've heard.

-$5.50 per valve guide x 16.

$25 per cyl. x4 -Bore (If I provide my own torque plate)

-$88- Hot tank block

-$30 crank polish

-$44 to Magnaflux(Check block for cracks)

-$30 to mill head

-$135 to balance rotating assembly

-$72 deck block surface

Estimate $300-400 to assemble.

This sheesh gets expensive.



Anything I forgot? Or you have advice on?

 

[dustslinger]

I have used burt's for years. They do great work and will go out of their way to help you out.

 

[BLueBeast]

I have used burt's for years. They do great work and will go out of their way to help you out.

Hey thanks for getting back to me.

My friend used them & said they do good work. I was just pissed that all of them try to get you to buy parts through them, I understand they are in it to make money, but I did research & stayed up late picking my own parts.

Using Geddes now, they are still in the process of building it. Heard they sponsor a 900+HP car in Denver area.

Hoping to get my engine back soon.

What did you have done & how much did it cost you?

 

[zcameron831]

european performance specialists down on sierra madre. they rebuilt my 2.4l turbo volvo s60 into a 2.6l Turbonetics beast in 17 days for just under $2500. they shipped the engine to martin willis machine shop on west fountain blvd. i have no complaints what so ever about their work and they get it done fast and right the first time

 

[tsi6bolt]

Hey I'm in the same spot as you when you first posted this I'm out in co how did the shop u went with do and how much

 

[BLueBeast]

Hey I'm in the same spot as you when you first posted this I'm out in co how did the shop u went with do and how much

I would definitely say it was a "learning experience." They did good work, but I think most machine shops want you to go through them to buy parts. They try to tell you what YOU should do. They also told me I was "overbuilding my engine." Which pissed me off. I mean what do they care they are getting paid.

It cost me around $2,100 since I had them port the head & flow-bench test it.

All-in-all they worked with me, I was a nube & explained the whats & why's of what was going on. It's hard to see their point of view, but they have multiple engines they are working on & many young guys have unrealistic dreams, or add more to the build, etc. Which is probably frustrating to them.....they are in it to make money, so you have to do your research, know what you want before you go in there & don't falter or let them make you deviate from that, unless it's for a good reason.

Not sure of the machine shops in Denver area. Like anywhere some people have a great experience & others a bad one.

Good Luck

 

[WES_393]

Burt's Auto Supply gave me back a head that wouldn't hold 40psi and had to redo it. But they did a great job on my flywheel. Take that as you will.

 

[rpg_dog]

I highly recommend Lanier's in downtown Colorado Springs. They do all my machine work and have always been reasonably priced and they two guys that work there must know more about motors than nearly everyone else in town combined. They sell all types of race gas and do all they're work in house. They might give ya shit for having a 4 banger, but they're good guys.

 

[godseal]

Lee's Machine Shop is an awesome shop, they rebuilt me head and it came back beautiful. I also had Black Label Performance do some minor work, but I've seen everything else they've built and they're quite impressive. Black Label Performance does a lot of work on tuner cars and a lot of eclipses lately. Last I was there they had two in the shop from guys who just picked up their first DSM and WOW! were they beat to hell and needed a lot of work done but they got one of them done since and it runs absolutely beautiful.